The mayor of the rural Victorian city of Swan Hill says more asylum seekers should be sent to fill labour shortages in regional Australia. John Katis says the Afghans in his region are hardworking and fit in well to the community. Mr Katis says asylum seekers are being put through tortuous bureaucracy by the Department of Immigration, instead of being allowed to go to communities where they are desperately needed.

Transcript

TONY EASTLEY: The Mayor of the rural Victorian city of Swan Hill says more asylum seekers should be sent to regional Australia to fill labour shortages.

John Katis says the Afghans in his region are hardworking and fit well into the community but he says many asylum seekers are being held back from going to some areas by Department of Immigration red tape.

Here's rural and regional reporter, Sally Sara.

SALLY SARA: The Mayor of Swan Hill says Afghan and other asylum seekers are welcome in his community and are needed to fill labour shortages.

JOHN KATIS: They will work from daylight 'til dusk. These are the kind of people that we want to come into our country.

SALLY SARA: John Katis says the Department of Immigration is taking too long to process refugees who want to come to Australia.

JOHN KATIS: I can say in a couple of words, bloody ridiculous. Somewhere along the line the ministers have lost their plot when it comes to immigration.

SALLY SARA: Mr Katis says Swan Hill has residents from more than 40 countries. He says Afghan and other asylum seekers are making a big contribution to local industries and the community.

JOHN KATIS: Let's make, let's make those people's life a bit easier and bring them in as quick as possible because we do need them. Simple as that.

SALLY SARA: The Mayor says instead of using foreign labourers on temporary visas, more asylum seekers should be given the chance to work and settle in regional Australia.

JOHN KATIS: They support the community. You know, what more can you want off anybody that is working on the land. I think they do a fantastic job.

SALLY SARA: Peter McIntosh is a local horticulturalist at nearby Robinvale. He employs several workers of Afghan origin.

PETER MCINTOSH: It's great importance to our region because we are nearly always, we are always crying out for people who want to work in the region and do the type of work that we require.

SALLY SARA: One of Mr McIntosh's workers is a 32-year-old, Hussain Ali Hussaini, who arrived on Christmas Island by boat 11 years ago.

Mr Hussaini's parents were killed in Afghanistan. He has brought two of his brothers to Australia but three others are stranded in Pakistan.

The case has twice been referred to Immigration Minister Chris Bowen, who decided it would not be in the public interest to intervene.

PETER MCINTOSH: It took over 11 months for the minister to say no and then another six months to say no again. I just find that absolutely ridiculous.

SALLY SARA: Mr McIntosh says the Hussaini brothers who are in Australia are all working in Robinvale and studying English at TAFE (Technical and Further Education).

PETER MCINTOSH: His brothers have come here and are living here and working here and absolutely no drain on the tax payer.

SALLY SARA: Hussain Ali Hussaini is trying to follow the legal process rather than use people smugglers to bring his remaining brothers to Australia.

HUSSAIN ALI HUSSAINI: I keep waiting and I still hope, you know, someone help me and I get some good news.

SALLY SARA: A spokesman for the Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen released a statement to AM.

EXTRACT OF A STATEMENT FROM CHRIS BOWEN'S OFFICE: While most applicants have suffered some form of discrimination or persecution, the limited number of visas available and the high demand for these places means that only the most compelling are able to be resettled in Australia.

SALLY SARA: Mr Hussaini says becoming an Australian citizen was the happiest day of his life. But, he's very distressed about the fate of his brothers in Pakistan.

He's yet to tell them their application has been refused, because he worries they will lose hope.

HUSSAIN ALI HUSSAINI: I cannot tell them the last hope is gone.

SALLY SARA: The Federal Government increased Australia's humanitarian immigration intake on the advice of the expert panel on asylum seekers earlier this year, but it tightened the rules on family reunion concessions.